Bottled drink vending machine



3 Sheets-Sheet l C. L. BARNHART BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE Jan. 5, 1965 Filed April 29 CARLTON L. BARNHART INVENTOR. /WM

3 k o I 1 lmmm i. A \OW km I ulnn h H I I I l I I ow I l I o 0 O A. o o o B m m l I ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1965 c. L. BARNHART BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1963 0 i I i I I CARLTON L.BARNHART INVENTOR BY W 3 4 4 mws n M iu== g i- A TTORNE Y Jan. 5, 1965 c. BARNHART 3,164,296

BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed April 29, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 u: I: Q a; Q w! m k \3 a; 4 N j x g Q5 L 5 L: m m

m 5f fl* 6K g i 8 LL 5' 41 a I 1* q: I g a i u, CARL TON L. BARNHART INVENTOR.

A T TORNE Y United States Patent Ofifice 3,164,296 Fatented Jan. 5, 1965 3,164,296 BOTTLED DRINK VENDING MAC Carlton L. Barnhart, 2928 W. Lancaster, Fort Worth, Tex. Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,466 4 (Ilaims. (Cl. 221-429) This invention relates to vending machines of the type wherein pivoted shelves are employed for dispensing merchandise, for example, bottled drinks.

An object of the invention is to provide a vending machine of the type referred to having a simple and reliable operating mechanism, and one which is efficient in its operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vending machine having a reciprocating drive mechanism which may be operated either electrically or pneumatically.

A further object is to provide a simplified arrangement of movable solenoids on a single carriage for selectivity operating one of several tiltable merchandise dispensing shelves or cradles.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a bottled drink dispensing cabinet showing the horizontal carriage of the invention, multiple solenoids mounted thereon, and both electrical and pneumatic actuating means reciprocating the carriage.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and shows the mechanism whereby the movement of the carriage selectively tilts any one of several cradles for dispensing merchandise.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the carriage, one of the cradles, spring latches for preventing inactive cradles from turning, and means coacting' the cradles and the carriage.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the construction shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

FIGURE 5 is a diagram of the electrical and pneumatic systems reciprocating the carriage.

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view showing an exemplary push button arrangement for activating the solenoids.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing one of the buttons in its actuated position.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 6, and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the push buttons above the openings at the bottoms of the dispensing hoppers.

The illustrated form of the invention includes a cabinet 10, a transverse vertical wall 11 within the cabinet and spaced from the rear thereof, a transverse plate 12 parallel with and rearwardly of the wall, and hoppers 13 forwardly of the wall and receiving single vertical rows of horizontally stacked bottles 14. Each stack of bottles 14 comprises a different kind or flavor of soft drink. The hoppers 13 are comprised of sides 15 perpendicular to the vertical wall 11, and have vertical spacers 16 on corresponding sides, which spacers are angularly formed downwardly, at 17, to contact adjacent sides and provide passageways 18 for bottles 14 during the dispensing operation.

A feature of the invention is directed to a horizontal reciprocating carriage 20 within the cabinet 1%) just rearwardly of the wall 15 and supported on rollers 21 jour naled in the transverse plate 12. The surface 22 of the carriage 20 is fiat for supporting equally spaced solenoids 23 thereon, one for each hopper 13, and the forward and rear elongate sides of the carriage have upwardly and downwardly directed flanges 24 and 25. The armature 26 of each solenoid 23, as best shown in FIGURE 3, is

directed toward the upturned flange 24 and has an L-shaped finger 27 mounted thereon by means of a rod extension 28. Each L-shaped finger 27 is vertically disposed and one side is slidably received in a vertical notch 29 in the upturned flange 24. The remaining portion of each finger 27 is parallel with and spaced from the flange 24 and has an actuating pin 30 projecting therefrom and slidably extending through a hole 31 in the flange.

At the bottom of each hopper 13 there is a tiltable shelf or cradle 32 which is arcuate in cross section, as particularly shown in FIGURE 2, for supporting bottles 14. The ends of the cradles 32 have circular ends 33 which locate the lowermost bottles longitudinally and also define the axis of rotation. Stub shafts 34 on the outer centers of the ends 33 are rotatably supported in the vertical wall 11 at corresponding ends and the remaining ends are rotatably mounted in a transverse bar 35, FIGURE 4. The stub shafts 34 in the wall 11 have rearwardly projecting square lugs 36 on which are mounted depending slotted arms 37. When the carriage 20 is at its at rest position, the actuating pins 39 are engaged in the tops of slots 38 in the arms 37, but when the carriage is in its vend position the pins are in the other ends of the slots. Preferably, the arms 37 and slots 38 are arcuately formed in a direction and of a length to provide at least 90 tilting of the cradle 32 when the carriage 20 is in its vend position.

Horizontal leaf springs 40 are mounted on the back of the wall 11 between the upper ends of the arms 37 and maintain the latter in vertical positions when not acted upon by the carriage 20 and actuating pins 30. The springs 40 are secured at corresponding ends to the wall 11 and normally spring outwardly therefrom. The ends of the springs 40 opposite their secured ends are turned inwardly, at 41, where they are received in vertical slots 42 adjacent the sides of the upper ends of the arms 37 when such ends of the arms are in their vertical positions. The side of the finger 27 received in the carriage slot 29 is positioned to press the spring 40 when a selected solenoid is actuated and thereby release the adjacent arm 37.

The carriage 20 is reciprocated by either an electric motor and reduction gear unit 45 or a pneumatic cylinder 55. The electric unit 45 is mounted on the transverse plate 12 and rotates a crank 46, which, in turn, operates a crank arm 47 beneath the carriage 20. A bracket 48 depends from the carriage 20 and supports an eye bolt bearing 49, the bearing end 50 of which is connected with the crank arm 47 by a Wrist pin 51. Nuts 52 on opposite sides of bracket 48 provide means for connecting and disconnecting the bearing 49.

The pneumatic cylinder 55 is also mounted on the transverse plate 12 beneath the carriage 20 and the piston rod 56 is connected with a depending bracket 57 by means of nuts 58 on either side thereof. A source 59 of pneumatic pressure, shown only in FIGURE 5, is connected with an electrically operated reversing valve 60 by a pneumatic line 61, and the valve is connected with the ends of the cylinder 55 by additional lines 62.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, when a coin 63 is dropped in the coin receiving slot, not shown, it closes a latching switch 64 and nearly completes a circuit for operating the motor 45. The circuit is completed by pressing one of several push button switches 65 in accordance with the flavor or kind of bottled drink to be dispensed. One line 66 from a source of current is grounded and the other line 67 extends to the coin operated latching switch 64, thence by a line 68 to the press button switches 65. Another or branch line 69 connects the supply line 67 with a normally open switch 70 which is normally held closed by the end of the carriage 20. The switch 70 is connected by lines 71 with corresponding sides of the push button switches 65 after passing through the coil of a Y65 and solenoids is as described in the foregoing.

holding relay 72 and the coils of the solenoids 23. The

holding relay 72 connects with the branch line 69 and, in

turn, connects the latter with the motor 45 by means of -a line '73, a two way manual switch 74 and another line 75. The motor 45 is grounded at 76. The coin operated latching switch 64 is released by means of a coil 77 connected with the armature of the latching relay '72 by a line 78. As the carriage moves away from the normally open switch 70, current to the motor is continued because the latching relay 72 is closed. The latching relay 72 is of the type that it will open when additional current is imposed; thus, when the carriage 20 returns and contacts the switch 70 the motor 45 stops and the vending machine is again ready to receive another coin.

In the event the motor 45 should become burned out or otherwise disabled, the outer nut 52 on the eye bolt hearing 49 is removed and the piston rod 56 of the pneumatic cylinder 55 is connected to the bracket 50 on the carriage 20. The manual switch 74 is then thrown to connect the branched source of power line 69 with the pneumatic reversing valve 60 by line 79, and the valve is connected with ground by line 80. At the end of the carriage 20 opposite the normally open switch 70 there is anotherbut normally closed switch 81 connected with the last referred to line 80. The operation of the button switches The depositing of a coin 63 and closing of one of the button switches 65 not only operates a corresponding solenoid 23, but also actuates the valve 60 to cause the carriage 20 to move toward the switch 81 by pneumatic pressure.

'Whenthe carriage 20 contacts and opens the switch 81, the valve 60, which may be spring operated for operation in one direction, is reversed and the carriage is returned by pneumatic pressure. When the return of the carriage contacts the switch 70, there is a surge of current to the coil of the locking relay 72 and causes the latter to open.

FIGURES 6 through 9 illustrate an exemplary mechanism whereby only one push button switch 65 may be operated at a time. There is a horizontal body 82 which is counterbored at 83 to receive shouldered plungers 84, corresponding ends of which project outwardly of a retainer plate 85. The inner ends of the plungers 84 are conical, at 86, and coiled compression springs 87 are provided around the plungers to urge them outwardly. The inner vertical surface of the body 82 and the inner ends of the counterbores are slotted, at 87, to slidably receive multiple rectangular blocking plates 88. The blocking plates 88, other than the end plates 88a, extend from center to center of the plunger cones 86, and the vertical edges of the plates opposite the cones are beveled. The end plates 88a extend outwardly of the body 82 where they contact the ends of armatures 89 of solenoids 90. The buttons 91 of the switches 65 are opposite the points of the cones 86. The cone 86 of any one plunger 84 moves the plates 88 laterally and contacts and depresses the button 91 of the opposite switch 65. All plates 88 are moved and block all other plungers 84. The plates 88 and 88a remain in their moved positions until another coin 63 actuates the coin operated switch 64. The last referred to solenoids 90, as shown in FIGURE 5, are connected with the line 68 and ground between the coin operated switch 64 and the button switches for returning the plates 88 and 83a to their normal positions.

Closing a push button switch 65 completes the circuit for operating the electric motor 45 and at the same time energizes a corresponding solenoid 23 which moves the angular finger 27 and causes the actuating pin 30 to engage the upper end of the slot 38 in the adjacent arm 37. At the same time the leaf spring 40 on one side of the arm 37 is depressed and as the carriage 24 moves the cradle 32 is tilted and allows the bottom bottle 14 of the corresponding hopper 13 to fall through the passageway 18 to the bottom of the hopper and to rest opposite an opening 92 in the cabinet 10 where it is retrieved by the purchaser. The continued cycle of the motor 45 returns the carriage and resets the machine in accordance with the detailed description of operation in connection with FIGURE 5.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construe tion herein shown and described, but may be made in variousways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vending machine having parallel tiltable shelves for supporting merchandise to be dispensed thereon, said shelves being aligned relative to each other, the combination comprising an elongate carriage transversely positioned with reference to the length of said shelves, arms connected with said shelves and projecting therefrom, solenoids mounted on said carriage, means selectively coacting said solenoids with said arms, and means reciprocating said carriage in the direction of the length thereof.

2. In a vending machine as defined in claim 1, the construction wherein said arms are perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said shelves, and wherein said means selectively coacting said solenoids with said arms includes projections movably actuated by said solenoids and making sliding contact with said arms.

3. In a vending machine as defined in claim I, the construction including leaf springs adjacent said arms and positioned to prevent free rotation thereof, and means carried by said solenoids moving said springs from the planes of rotation of said arms.

4. In a vending machine as defined in claim 2, the construction wherein said arms are arcuate along the lengths thereof where they make sliding contact with said projec tions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,071,771 2/37 Shield. 2,634,185 4/53 Wilder 22 ll29 2,660,282 11/53 Gross 22 l-l29 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

1. IN A VENDING MACHINE HAVING PARALLEL TILTABLE SHELVES FOR SUPPORTING MERCHANIDISE TO BE DISPENSED THEREON, SAID SHELVES BEING ALIGNED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING AN ELONGATE CARRIAGE TRANSVERSELY POSITIONED WITH REFERENCE TO THE LENGTH OF SAID SHELVES, ARMS CONNECTED WITH SAID SHELVES AND PROJECTING THEREFROM, SOLENOIDS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE, MEANS SELECTIVELY COACTING SAID SOLENOIDS WITH SAID ARMS, AND MEANS RECIPROCATING SAID CARRIAGE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LENGTH THEREOF. 